Strawberry plant named `Alisal`

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry named `Alisal`. The variety is similar to the variety `Commander`. The variety is characterized from `Commander`, in particular, by its plant height, spread and number of crowns; bract frequency and fruit skin and flesh color.

1. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new variety orginated as a result of a controlled cross between the strawberry plant `R2` (an unpatented variety of Driscoll Strawberry Associates, Inc.) and `Key Largo` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,649) in an ongoing breeding program, and was discovered as a seedling in a controlled breeding plot. The original seedling of the new cultivar was asexually propagated by stolons at the Driscoll Strawberry Associates, Inc. nursery in Shasta County, Calif. Propagules were transplanted to a controlled breeding plot on the Fly Ranch in Monterey County, Calif. in November of 1993 where the new cultivar first fruited in April of 1994 and was selected for further evaluation. `Alisal` was subsequently asexually propagated and underwent further testing in the area of Watsonville, Calif. from 1995 through 1998. This propagation and testing has demonstrated that the combination of traits disclosed herein which characterize the new variety are fixed and retained true to type through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

2. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry named `Alisal`. The variety is botanically identified as Fragaria×ananassa. The new variety is distinguished from other varieties by a number of characteristics as set forth in Tables 1, 2 and 3.

3. COMPARISON TO CLOSEST VARIETIES

The variety which we believe to be closest to `Alisal` from those known to us is `Commander` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,024). There are several characteristics of the new variety that are different from, or not possessed by `Commander`. Table 1 provides information on the plant and fruit characteristics of the new variety `Alisal` compared with characteristics of `Commander`. Table 2 provides additional information of the plant and fruit characteristics of the new variety `Alisal` compared with characteristics of the varieties `Commander`, `Lido` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,534), and `Key Largo` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,469). Table 3 provides isozyme characteristics of the new variety as compared to the varieties `Commander`, `Lido` and `Key Largo`. Data was taken from each variety as grown in a side-by-side field trial with `Alisal`.

4. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographs show typical specimens of the new variety, including fruit, foliage and flowers, in color as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make in color illustrations of these characteristics.

FIG. 1 shows the general characteristics of the whole plant.

FIG. 2 shows the upper surface of two typical mature leaves of the new variety.

FIG. 3 shows the flower and reproductive organs of the new variety, as well as the size and position of the petals and sepals and the underside of the calyx.

FIG. 4 shows five typical whole fruit.

FIG. 5 shows five typical sliced fruit, illustrating the typical flesh and flesh coloration.

5. DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed description of the new variety is based upon observations taken of plants and fruit grown in Watsonville, Calif., U.S.A. Observations of `Alisal` and `Commander` were taken in side by side comparison in 1998. This description is in accordance with UPOV terminology. Color designations, color descriptions, and other phenotypical descriptions may deviate from the stated values and descriptions depending upon variation in environmental, seasonal, climatic and cultural conditions. Colors are described using standard Munsell Notation.

5.1 Propagation

The new variety is principally propagated by way of stolons. Although propagation by stolons is presently preferred, other known methods of propagating strawberry plants may be employed.

5.2 Characteristics of the New Variety

Information on the new variety is presented in Tables 1, 2 and 3. In the tables, the flowers described are secondary flowers except where indicated. Petal color of `Alisal` is white (N 9.5). The fruit described is the secondary fruit on one year old plants. Fruit and flower measurements are an average of both primary and secondary fruit and flowers.

Plants and Foliage

Plants of `Alisal` are slightly more vigorous and upright in form than those of `Commander` in side by side trials. The foliage canopy of `Alisal` is denser than that of `Commander`, `Key Largo` or `Lido` (see Table 2). The upper leaf surface of `Alisal` is lighter green than that of `Commander` and `Lido` and slightly darker than that of `Key Largo`. The shape of leaves of `Alisal` in cross section is flatter than those of `Commander` and `Lido` and slightly less flat than those of `Key Largo`. `Alisal` has pronounced interveinal leaf blistering giving the leaves a crinkled appearance. The interveinal blistering of `Alisal` is stronger than that of `Commander` and much stronger than `Lido` or `Key Largo`. The frequency of bracts on petioles of `Alisal` is much higher than that of `Commander`, `Lido` or `Key Largo`. Bracts on `Alisal` are typically present in pairs while those on the reference cultivars are typically single. Terminal leaflets of `Alisal` possess a higher number of teeth than those of `Commander` and `Key Largo` and a slightly higher number than those of `Lido`. The leaves of `Alisal` produce anthocyanin earlier in the fall of the year than those of `Commander` or `Lido`. Appearance of the anthocyanin pigment is similar in timing to that of `Key Largo`. In 1998, leaf anthocyanin first appeared on plants of `Key Largo` and `Alisal` in early-October, while on plants of `Commander` it appeared in late-October-early November.

Flower and Fruit Characteristics

The flowers of `Alisal` are similar or slightly smaller in size than those of `Commander`, while the calyx is on average larger than that of `Commander`. The date of first bloom for `Alisal` ranges from early February to early April, depending on climatic conditions. The individual bloom lasts from 2 to 5 days, also depending on climatic conditions. The petals of `Alisal` flowers are broader than long (broadly spatulate), while those of `Commander` are as broad as thay are long. `Alisal` typically displays 6 petals per flower, though petals may occationally number 5 or 7. The flower shape of `Alisal` is typical of the species. `Alisal` typically displays 10 (occasionally 12 or 14) broadly lanceolate speals. There is an average of 5.5 (range of 4 to 7) flowers per inflorescence. No fragrance is detectable. The fruit skin color of `Alisal` is darker than that of `Commander` and `Lido` but similar in color to that of `Key Largo`. The fruit flesh color of `Alisal` is white to pale rose and is similar to that of `Commander` and `Lido` but lighter red than that of `Key Largo`. The average fruit size for `Alisal` is larger than that of `Key Largo` but slightly smaller than that of `Commander` and `Lido`. The primary fruit is larger than the secondary fruit. The shape of the primary fruit is wedge to wedge-conic. The achenes of `Alisal` are red (9.7R 2.2/5.9) to yellow (9.1YR 7.3/15.7) in color and indented. In a blind taste test, fruit of `Alisal` has rated higher than that of `Commander` and less than that of `Lido`. Flavor was preferred over that of `Commander`. The shipping ability of `Alisal` fruit as measured by percent damaged fruit after transcontinental shipping is similar to that of `Commander`.

The production cycle of `Alisal` is similar to that of `Commander` but with greater late season yield (Table 1). Production of `Alisal` commences in early to mid-April and continues through early-November in the Watsonville, Calif. area. The chilling requirement of `Alisal` is approximately 2 weeks of cold storage prior to planting for optional fruit yields which is intermediate to that of `Commander` and `Lido`. The total yield for `Alisal` and `Commander` are comparable when grown under similar cultural regimes.

                  TABLE 1                                                          ______________________________________                                         DETAILED COMPARISON OF `ALISAL` AND `COMMANDER`                                                         Commander                  Alisal                     ______________________________________                                         Plant Characteristics                                                          Height of Plant                     20.85 cm                                   Spread of Plant                     42.80 cm                                   Number of Crowns                          4.1                                  Leaf Characteristics                                                           Terminal Leaflet Width                                                                                     8.26 cm                                                                                 7.82 cm                                   Terminal Leaflet Length                                                                                  8.38 cm                                                                                   8.06 cm                                   Terminal Leaflet                         1.03                                  Length/Width Ratio                                                             Number of Teeth/Terminal                                                                                 25.44                                                                                         18.50                                 Leaflet                                                                        Petiole Length                      20.34 cm                                   Bract Frequency                           20%                                  Stipule Length                       3.30 cm                                   Stipule Width                        1.02 cm                                   Stipule Color                   7.4GY 2.3/4.0.8                                Flower Characteristics                                                         Petal Width                         12.7 mm mm                                 Petal Length                        12.5 mmmm                                  Petal Length/Width Ratio                                                                                   1.06                                                                                        0.98                                  Flower Diameter                     32.0 mm                                    Calyx Diameter                      31.3 mm                                    Fruit Characteristics                                                          Fruit Width                        37.10 mm0 mm                                Fruit Length                       38.00 mm mm                                 Fruit Length/Width Ratio                                                                                  0.91                                                                                         1.02                                  Average Berry Size                                                                                                   23.9 g                                   Fruit Skin Color                 8.3R 3.5/13.0                                 Fruit Flesh Color                                                                                              9.2R 5.2/                                                                         16.7 & white   16.4 & white                 Total Yield (g/plant)                                                                                                 1579                                    Late Yield (g/plant)                                                                                                   496                                    ______________________________________                                          *Yield after 8/15/98                                                     

                  TABLE 2                                                          ______________________________________                                         CHARACTERISTICS OF `ALISAL`,                                                   `COMMANDER`,  `LIDO`, and `KEY LARGO`                                                         Commander Lidol   l Key Largo                                   ______________________________________                                          Plant                                                                         Habit                     flat                                                                                 upright to                                                                            globose                                             globose                                                                                  globose                                                                                   globose                                                                        to flat                                       Density            medium to                                                                          open        open                                                                                   open                                         dense                                                                 Vigor                  medium                                                                                     weak                                                                                   weak                                Leaf                                                                           Color of upper                                                                              light     light to                                                                               medium to                                                                                light                                 side                    medium                                                                                 dark green                                                                             green                                                 6.1 GY                                                                                  green                                                                                    5.6 GY                                                                                6.1 GY                                              3.2/5.8                                                                                8.9 GY      2.3/3.6                                                                              3.2/5.8                                                                   2.3/4.7                                     Color of under                                                                              light       light                                                                                    light                                                                                 light                                side                 gray--     gray-                                                                               gray-                                                                green  green                                                                     green   green                                     Shape in cross                                                                              siightly                                                                               concave     concave                                                                                flat                                  section            concave to                                                                               flat                                                                          (mostly                                                                       flat)                                               Interveinal                                                                                   strong to                                                                           medium to                                                                                  medium                                                                                  medium                                blistering                                                                                      very                                                                                   strong                                                                          strong                                               Glossiness                                                                                      weak to                                                                            medium to                                                                                 weak to                                                                                medium                                                      strongdium                                                                                 medium                                        Number of                                                                                         3                                                                                        3                                                                                               3                                leaflets                                                                       Terminal         revolute                                                                           revolute                                                                                    flat                                                                                 revolute                               leaflet margin                                                                             to flat                                                                                  to flat                                                                                                  to fiat                        profile                                                                        Terminal                   1.03                                                                                   1.00                                                                                     1.03                              leaflet length/                                                                width ratio                                                                    Terminal               obtuse                                                                                  obtuse                                                                                    acute to                            leaflet shape                                                                                  obtuse                                                                                                            obtuse                      of base                                                                        Terminal               obtuse to                                                                              rounded                                                                                    acute                               leaflet shape                                                                                             rounded                                             of teeth                                                                       Terminal                   18.5                                                                                   22.6                                                                                     19.7                              leaflet average                                                                number of teeth                                                                Petiole                   sparse                                                                              sparse to                                                                               sparse to                              pubescence                                                                                      sparse to                                                                                              medium                                                                sparse                                         Petiole pose of                                                                            outwards                                                                                  outwards                                                                               upwards to                                                                              upwards                                hairs                                                          outwards        Bracts                      20%                                                                                    50%                                                                                      10%                              frequency on                                                                                    (mostly                                                                              (mostly                                                                               (mostly                                                                                   (mostly                               petioles                single)                                                                               single)                                                                                   single)                              Stolon                                                                         Number                 medium to                                                                            few to        few to                                                           many                                                                              medium                                                                                  medium                                Anthocyanin                                                                                      strong                                                                                weak to                                                                              medium                                                                                  medium to                              coloration                                                                                               medium                                                                                               strong                         Thickness                                                                                              medium                                                                               thick          thin                              Pubescence                                                                                      medium to                                                                           sparse   medium to                                                                              sparse                                                                      dense                                      Inflorescence                                                                  Position                level to                                                                              level to                                                                                   above                               relative to                                                                                                     aboveve                                       foliage                                                                        Flower size                                                                                   medium to                                                                              large     medium                                                                                small to                                                                               medium                         Diameter of                                                                                 larger to                                                                            same size same size                                                                              larger to                                 calyx relative                                                                              same size                                                                              to larger                                                                                                    much                        to corolla                                                                                                                                   larger           Diameter of                                                                                  smaller to                                                                            same size                                                                               larger       larger                              inner calyx                                                                                   same size                                                       relative to                                                                    outer                                                                          Spacing of                                                                                        over-                                                                                 over-                                                                                 over-                                                                                     over-                              petals                    lapping                                                                             lapping                                                                                 lapping                                Petal length/                                                                                 longer                                                                                 broader                                                                                   broader                                                                             as long as                              width ratio                                                                                  than broad                                                                            than long                                                                                  than long                                                                             broad                                                              to as                                                                      long as                                                                        broad                                                  Fruiting Truss                                                                 Attitude at                                                                                  semi-erect                                                                           prostrate                                                                                   erect to                                                                            semi-erect                               first picking                                                                                                            to   semi-erect                                                           prostrate                                 Length             medium to                                                                        medium      short to                                                                                long                                              long                          medium                              Fruit                                                                          Length/Width                                                                                 broader                                                                                  as long                                                                                as long as                                                                           as long as                               Ratio                 as broad                                                                                    broad                                                                                broad to                                             to as long                                                                                                                   longer                           as broad                                                                                                                    than broad         Weight                    23.9 g                                                                                  24.2 g                                                                                 20.3 g                              Predominant                                                                                 conical to                                                                              conical                                                                                    cordate                                                                              conical                                shape                   to bi-                                                                                              conical                           Difference in                                                                               moderate                                                                                slight       moderate                                                                            slight                                 shapes between                                                                            to marked                                                                                                  to marked                               primary and                                                                    secondary                                                                      fruits                                                                         Band without                                                                                   very                                                                                   narrow to                                                                             absent or                                                                              absent or                               achenes           narrow to                                                                           medium                                                                                    very                                                                                     very                                                           narrow                                                                                     narrowrrow                             Unevenness of                                                                                 weak                                                                                       weak                                                                                   medium                                                                            very weak                                surface                                                                                                                to weak                                Skin color                                                                                       red to                                                                              orange                                                                                      red                                                                                      red                                                 dark red                                                                             red         6.6R                                                                                  5.5R                                                          8.3R                                                                                   3.2/12.6                                                                           2.9/11.6                                                 2.9/9.7                                                                              3.5/13.0                                                Evenness of                                                                                     even                                                                                  slightly                                                                                  even                                                                             even                                      color                                 uneven                                   Glossiness                                                                                     strong                                                                                  strong                                                                                   strong                                                                               weak to                                                                                   medium                     Insertion of                                                                                below the                                                                                level      below to                                                                             below to                               achenes            surface                                                                            with the                                                                                level with                                                                           level with                                                                   the surface                                                                              the                                                                      surface                surface         Insertion of                                                                                in a basin                                                                              level       in a basin                                                                            level                                 calyx                                                                          Pose of the                                                                                    spreading                                                                          spreading                                                                                 spreading                                                                               spreadirig                             calyx segments                                                                             to reflex                                                                                                  to reflex                              Size of calyx                                                                                same size                                                                           same size   smaller                                                                                 same size                              in relation to                                                                                                               to larger                        fruit                                                                          Firmness of                                                                                    soft to                                                                              medium   medium to                                                                             medium to                                flesh                  medium                                                                                               firm                              Color of flesh                                                                              white to                                                                               light red                                                                                pale rose                                                                              orange red                                         pale rose                                                                               to orange                                                                                  & white                                                                                    6.8R                                         and white                                                                                   red         7.8 R/                                                                                3.7/15.8                                             7.0R                                                                                     9.2R                                                                                  5.2/16.5                                                   4.3/16.4                                                                               5.2/16.7                                                  Evenness of                                                                                     uneven                                                                              slightly                                                                                 slightly                                                                                slightly                              flesh color                                                                                                      uneven                                                                                  uneven                              Distribution of                                                                              only     marginal                                                                               marginal                                                                                marginal                               flesh color                                                                                    marginal                                                                              and          and                                                                                       and                                                       central                                                                               central                                                                                 central                              Hollow center                                                                                  small                                                                                medium    absent                                                                                   small to                             size                                                                                                                medium                                    Sweetness                                                                                        medium to                                                                       medium to  strong       medium                                             strong                                                                                 strong                                                  Texture when                                                                                   fine to                                                                              fine to                                                                                    fine                                                                                     medium                             tasted               mediumm                                                   Acidity                 weak to                                                                                  weak                                                                                     medium                                                                 medium                                     ______________________________________                                    

5.3 Resistance to Stress

The new variety is moderately resistant to high soil pH and moderately susceptible to high soil salt levels.

5.4 Insect and Disease Resistance and Susceptibility

The `Alisal` variety is moderately susceptible to Xanthomonas fragariae and Botrytis fruit rot. The variety is moderately resistant to Powdery Mildew. `Alisal` is susceptible to Verticillium wilt. The `Alisal` variety is also susceptible to injury by the two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) and lygus bug (Lygus hesperus).

5.5 ISOZYME ANALYSIS

In addition to the morphological description above, the new cultivar `Alisal` has been analyzed to obtain an indication of its genetic makeup to provide further means for identifying the new variety and distinguishing it from some other somewhat similar and/or relates strawberry varieties. Specifically, leaf samples of `Alisal`, `Commander`, `Lido` and `Key Largo` were analyzed by electrophoresis for isozyme patterns of the enzymes phosphoglucoisomerase (PGI), leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) and phosphoglucomutase (PGM). See J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 106:684-687. Isozyme characterization of the three varieties is presented in Table 3, with the letters representing the banding patterns for each enzyme as designated in the above-identified article.

                  TABLE 3                                                          ______________________________________                                                       ISOZYME PHENOTYPES FOR `ALISAL`, - `COMMANDER`, `LIDO`  AND      `KEY LARGO`                                                                     Locus   Alisal Commander    Lido Key Largo                                    ______________________________________                                         PGI      A4     A4           A3   A1                                           LAP                      B3                B3                                  PGM                      C4                C4                                  ______________________________________                                     

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of strawberry plant, substantially as shown and described. 